Fence to go up at popular east Oahu swim spot

It's a popular swimming and diving spot known casually as
Cromwell's. It's a small harbor located
at the base of the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, or Shangri La.

A sea wall which also serves as a pathway is where most of
the jumpers leap from. It's also the
spot where two people have suffered quadriplegia injuries.

Eight signs warn people in the area not to dive, jump or
climb in the area. People still do, with
regularity, so a fence is being built as a further deterrent.

"The increasing uses of the area and the extent of the
risky behaviors and the injuries that have been sustained really don't leave us
any other choice" said Deborah Pope, the Executive Director of the Doris
Duke Foundation for Islamic Art.

Construction of the fence is set to begin April 21st,
and take approximately four weeks to finish.
It will be six feet high, and run flush with the edge of the sea
wall. The fence will not block access to
the pathway or the pool itself. Still,
users of the area are disappointed.

"It hurts me, it does, it actually really does"
said Mikayla Kaea. She's been coming to
Cromwell's her entire life.

"We would come over here, party, the whole family…just
jump off over here" she described.

Pope sympathizes. "We
all love it, we all enjoy it down there...just prevent the really risky
behaviors and injuries that have been sustained there".

The Foundation has been working with the State Department of
Land and Natural Resources and the City's Department of Planning and Permitting
for a year to make sure it has the proper forms and protocol for construction
of the fence.

"Getting to the bottom of it isn't quick and easy but
in the meantime we do have a really good working relationship with them [DPP],
we do have the permits and total clearance from them to put up this fence"
said Pope.

Mikayla wasn't shy about expressing her disappointment,
although she did see a bright side to the situation.

"As long as you can come inside here and still swim, by
all means it's good. At least you get
something".